THE GOSPEL ACCORDING TO LUKE (Lesson 02 – Jan 21, 2024) Background - 2

 

THE GOSPEL ACCORDING TO LUKE

(Lesson 02 – Jan 21, 2024) Background - 2

 

Author, Date, and Audience: Luke was a physician (Col 4:14) and a travel companion of Paul. The possible date of Luke–Acts is AD 62 in the events of persecution (Acts 28). Luke and Acts are addressed to “Theophilus” (Lk 1:3; Acts 1:1) about Jesus.

 

Aim: Jesus is the promised one of God as prophesied in the Old Testament for all, Jews and Gentiles alike to see God’s saving activity in Jesus’ life, death, and resurrection.

 

Purpose: Luke probably had several goals in writing:

 

(1) Assure the truth of Christ

(2) Understand how Israel rejected Jesus and welcomed the Gentiles into the kingdom of God

(3) Universality of Salvation

(4) The fulfillment of the OT promises

(5) Jesus does not return immediately but there is a period between his resurrection and his return

(6) Emphasize not to be terrified of any earthly power such as Rome.

(7) Importance of Women

 

 

Main Themes

 

1. God’s sovereign rule over history (Lk 13:33; 22:22, 42) – Jerusalem, the city of destiny

 

2. The arrival and actual presence (though not yet the completion) of the kingdom of God (Lk 11:2; 17:20–21; 21:34–36) - “the Kingdom of God is among you” (Lk 17:20-21)

 

3. The coming and presence of the Holy Spirit for Jesus and his followers (Lk 1:15–17, 35; 2:25–27; 3:16, 22; 4:1, 18; 24:49).

 

4. The great reversal in the world. The first become last and the last become first, the proud are made low and the humble are exalted (Lk 1:48; 6:20–26; 13:30; 14:11).

 

5. Invitation to live a life of prayer practicing good stewardship with their possessions (Lk 6:12; 9:28–29; 11:1–4; 12:33–34; 18:1; 22:40).

 

6. The danger of riches (Lk 6:20–26; 8:14; 12:13–21; 16:10–13, 19–31).

 

 

Outline

I. The Prologue (1:1–4)

II. The Infancy Narrative (1:5–2:52)

III. Preparation for the Ministry of Jesus (3:1–4:15)

IV. The Ministry of Jesus in Galilee (4:16–9:50)

V. The Journey to Jerusalem (9:51–19:27)

VI. The Ministry of Jesus in Jerusalem (19:28–21:38)

VII. The Suffering and Death of Jesus (22:1–23:56)

VIII. The Resurrection of Jesus (24:1–53)

 

TEXT ANALYSIS OF LUKE:   CHAPTER 1 (vv 1-9)

 

Vv. 1-4: It is a prologue in the way of Hellenistic Greek writers, and contemporary Greco-Roman literature. Ex: Herodotus begins, “These are the researches of Herodotus of Halicarnassus.” A much later historian, Dionysius of Halicarnassus, tells us at the beginning of his history, "Before beginning to write I gathered information, partly from the lips of the most learned men with whom I came into contact, and partly from histories written by Romans of whom they spoke with praise."

 

   Not only Luke writes the words and deeds of Jesus but also of his birth, ministry, death, and resurrection as fulfillment of OT. He acknowledges his debt to earlier eyewitnesses and ministers. Real religion is never a second-hand thing. It is a personal discovery. Luke had to rediscover Jesus Christ for himself. Personal experience is required. True inspiration comes when the seeking mind of man joins with the revealing Spirit of God (Mt 7:7)

 

Adding his source in a complete and accurate account writes to “Theophilus” (Friend of God)

 

V.  5a: Herod, king of Judea also known as Herod Antipas. He ruled as a tetrarch (a title, a ruler of one fourth in GK) of Galilee and Perea after the death of his father, Herod the Great. He was declared “king of Judea” by the Roman senate in 40 BC. but became undisputed ruler of Palestine only in 37 BC.

 

How does Luke see Christ?

 

Vv. 5b, 8, 9: Abijah to Zachariah: Zachariah was a priest who belonged to the section of Abijah/ Abihu. Who was Abijah? He was a descendant of Eleazar, the son of Aaron.  Aaron was the brother of Moses (Ex 4:14). He is identified as the brother of Moses, a Levite {(Jochebed - a daughter of Levi tribe, mother of Miriam, Aaron, and Moses (Num 26:59)}. How many sons did Aaron have? Aaron had four sons (Lev 10: 1, 6): Nadab, Abihu, Eleazar, and Ithamar. All four were ordained as priests. Moses instituted priests and Levites. Priests were direct descendants of Aaron. Priests offered the sacrifices and Levites helped the priests in the ceremonies. Who were the Levites? Levites were the descendants of Levi (Num 1:49).

Read the Book of Numbers 1:47-54

 

Abijah/ Abihu was a chief of the eighth (1 Chro 24:10) of the twenty-four orders into which the priesthood was divided (1 Chro 24: 7-19) and small groups of Levites (1 Chro 24: 4-6) by David (1 Chro 28:12-13). Moses instituted and David divided for the sake of the liturgy.

 

Priests could get an opportunity to serve a week at a time, twice a year. Abijah/ Abhihu was an ancestor of Zechariah, the priest who was the father of John the Baptist. He is not to be confused with Abijah daughter of Zechariah seen at 2 Kings 18:2 who gave birth to Hezekiah king of Jerusalem who reigned for 29 years.

 

 

What happened to the sons of Aaron and Moses?

 

Aaron had 4 sons. The first older sons Nadab and Abihu “offered fire that had not been commanded” to be consumed by the fire (Lev. 10:1). Another set of sons namely Eleazar and Ithamar were almost consumed because they did not obey the command of Moses (Lev. 10: 6, 8, 12, 17). V. 17 is most important.

 

What happened to the sons of Eli?  The wickedness of Eli’s sons (1 Sam 2: 12—17; 25, 12-13; 34).

                                        

What happened to the sons of Samuel? Joel and Abijah, the first judges (1 Sam 8:1-3) sought illicit gains. God needed to appoint a king.

 

Duty of the priests: “Aaron shall bring forward the live goat. Laying both the hands” (Lev. 16:20, 21,22). Does the blood of an animal remove our sins?

 

 

Leviticus 10:17 says, “it was given to you to take away the guilt of the community by making atonement for them before the Lord”.

 

God’s Decision: “I will choose a faithful priest who shall do what I have in heart and mind, I will establish a lasting house for him which shall function in the presence of my anointed forever” (1 Sam 2: 35)

 

Jesus Christ the High Priest “the impossibility of the blood of the animals to take away the sins” (Heb 10:3); Jesus Christ offered himself once and for all (Heb 10:9); became one of us (Heb 2:17) and “let us hold him fast” (Heb 4:14).

 

For this, God prepares the path for his coming to his humanity.

 

V. 7: “Childless” – it was looked upon in contemporaneous Judaism as a curse or punishment for sin. It was intended to present Elizabeth in a situation similar to that of some of the great mothers of important OT figures like Sarah (Gen 15:3; 16:1); Rebekah (Gen 25:21) Rachel (Gen 29:31; 30:1); the mother of Samson and wife of Manoah (Jds13:2-3); Hanah (1 Sam 1:2). Elizabeth was a descendant of Aaron. Both were from the priestly class. Pure blood.

 

God makes his chosen fruitless first to make them exemplary and fruitful next to generation after generation to come.

 

Christ comes from the tribe of Judah to be the King of Kings, the high priest from the pure Blood to rule out the priestly class of the Old Testament, and Messiah prophesied by the prophets (John the Baptist, being the bridge between the OT and NT).

 

“Do not be afraid” (Lk 1:13)